Last night we “splurged” a little and went to Pizza Hut!

This was the first American food since we arrived in China and it was a nice change of pace.

After diner, Madison and Peyton had their first exposure to a hair dryer!

Sometimes it is a little scary how much Peyton looks like Mia.

On the way to Madison’s orphanage this morning, everyone seemed like they were in good spirits!

Madison had told us last night that she hoped that she could go to sleep because she was so excited to take us to where she grew up!

We arrived to a bright colored playground …

… and Madison’s china mom raising down the ramp to meet us!

She insisted that she push Madison up the ramp to the orphanage.

We went up and saw the room that Madison shared with many other children.  While Madison does not have any mental deficits, everyone else in the room did.  We realized that was because the other children went to school, but Madison could not so she stayed with the others who were unable to attend school.

She was pretty happy to show us “her” bed!

And maybe pose for a little glamour shot!

Madison was a favorite at the orphanage, both with the children and the staff.  One person told us that if a child had cake or candy, they would not share with anyone except Madison.  The staff was extremely happy to have her back for a visit!

They took us to the activity room to show us much of the projects and activities she had been involved in over the last several years.

The orphanage director, who has been here an impressive 19 years, spent time showing us Madison’s school accomplishments.

He seemed pretty happy with her progress!

But we already knew she was a smart girl!  She just needs a little more challenge!  That will come soon enough, little girl!

Her china mom had a several opportunities to have some private conversations with Madison, I would assume around how much she loved her and how great the opportunity was she was facing.  Her china mom has been preparing her for the day that her forever family would arrive.

There was a lot of joy and laughter in the room today with teachers, administrators, and moms, both the caregiver type and the permanent type!

Some, however, were a little bored.

This one stayed pretty engaged!

Our guide, Michael, has done a nice job supporting us this week.

It’s nice to see the relationship between Madison and those tasked with caring for her!

The orphanage director was determined to carry her down to her wheelchair!  It was kind of like your grandpa wanting to do something and no one being able to tell him “no” but panicked just the same!  You can see the hand on the right reaching out to steady him!

Thankfully, he made it down just fine!!

The orphanage provided lunch for us and it was amazing!  The best meal we have had to date in China.  And they just kept bringing more and more food!

Riley kept the staff laughing with her witty comments.

And Jess added her own thoughts to the conversation.

It has been really, really nice to have Taylor with us, and not just because she manned one of the cameras for me!  She is a lot of fun all the time.  So glad to have her with us on another adoption!

Madison told us that this is how they ate every night!  Riley had a hard time believing that!

We all posed for a picture with the director, the manager, and Madison’s china mom.

On the way home, this little stinkpot started winding up!  She talked the entire two hours home, spending time kissing everyone and keeping Riley pretty engaged in conversation!  She also started learning a few English phrases, mastering “thank you” and “you’re welcome”!

Tomorrow we will get the girls passports and then fly to Guangzhou in the afternoon to finalize the girls adoptions next week!  We are getting close to “hump day” with a little light at the end of the tunnel!

At the end of today’s post I am putting pictures of children that may be considered by some to be more challenging to adopt.  But they, just like the pictures I have shared this week already, deserve a forever family to love and care for them!

Cameron

“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” – James 1:27